France’s Macron names ex-Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier as new prime minister

Barnier, a staunch pro-European and a moderate career politician, has held roles in various French governments and was also EU commissioner

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Michel Barnier, 73, is a staunch pro-European and a moderate career politician. Photo: Reuters

Published: 7:48pm, 5 Sep 2024

French President Emmanuel Macron appointed Michel Barnier, the European Union’s former Brexit negotiator, as his new prime minister on Thursday, after weeks of drawn out talks following an inconclusive snap election.

Barnier, 73, led the EU’s talks with Britain over its exit from the bloc from 2016 to 2021. Before that, the conservative politician held roles in various French governments and was also EU commissioner.

Macron had considered a string of potential prime ministers in recent weeks, none of which mustered enough support to guarantee a stable government, and there is no guarantee Barnier’s government will manage to get reforms adopted by a hung parliament.

But at least the far-right National Rally (RN), whose party is one of the biggest in parliament after the July election, signalled earlier on Thursday it would not immediately reject Barnier, if he met certain conditions.

Barnier is a staunch pro-European and a moderate career politician, but he toughened his discourse considerably during his failed 2021 bid to get his conservative party’s ticket for the presidential election, saying immigration was out of control – a view shared by the RN.

Barnier, 73, led the EU’s talks with Britain over its exit from the bloc from 2016 to 2021. Photo: AFP

Macron’s gamble to call the snap parliamentary election in June backfired, with his centrist coalition losing dozens of seats and no party winning an absolute majority.